1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric motor-driven vehicle, and particularly to an electric motor-driven vehicle in which the structure of a power unit including a controller and a driver is simplified, and concentration of mass is obtained.
2. Description of the Background Art
An electric motor-driven vehicle such as a bicycle using an electric motor as a drive source is provided with a controller and a driver for the electric motor (hereinafter referred to simply as xe2x80x9cmotorxe2x80x9d). Previously, the controller and the like have been disposed separately from the power unit comprising the motor, a motor power transmission and the like. Therefore, assembly and maintenance thereof have been troublesome. As an electric motor-driven vehicle which reduces the disadvantage, there has been proposed a motored bicycle in which the controller is disposed in the space inside the power unit, namely, a crankcase supporting a crankshaft, thereby obtaining concentration of mass (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 8-175462).
However, having the controller in the power unit as in the case of the power unit described in the publication has yet been insufficient from some viewpoints. First, when a switch for turning ON and OFF the controller is disposed outside the power unit, it is necessary to run a high-voltage cord outside of the power unit. In addition, in the case where the output of the motor is regulated by turning a handle grip, a sensor for detecting the regulation amount is disposed away from the power unit, namely, in the vicinity of the handle, so that it is necessary to run a sensor cord including a high-voltage GND to the inside of the power unit, and concentration of mass is not necessarily sufficient.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electric motor-driven vehicle which can solve the above problems, can provide concentration of mass to the power unit and can provide enclosure of the high-voltage system.
In order to attain the above object, the present invention is characterized firstly in that, in an electric motor-driven vehicle using a motor as a drive source, a controller for controlling the rotation of the motor is disposed inside a casing of a power unit for transmitting the rotation of the motor to a driving wheel or wheels, and an induction-type switch for controlling the controller is provided inside the casing of the power unit.
In addition, the present invention is characterized secondly in that an input-output insulation type power source converter for driving electrical equipment mounted on the vehicle is provided inside the casing of the power unit, and is characterized thirdly in that an accelerator opening sensor for detecting an output demand for the motor is provided inside the casing of the power unit.
According to the above characteristic features, the switch for the controller as well as the power source converter and the accelerator opening sensor is provided inside the casing of the power unit, so that it is unnecessary to lead out the high-voltage cord to the outside of the power unit. In addition, since the power source converter and the accelerator opening sensor are provided inside the casing of the power unit, more concentration of mass to the power unit can be achieved.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.